Porsche 911 vs. Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale – Sports Cars

Never judge a street by sketches on a map. I tell you from experience: This strip of asphalt, which I thought was just a link between two amazing corners, turned out to be the best in the test. Indeed, one of the best in my entire career. It was so narrow that it seemed as if the stone walls on either side were brushing against the mirrors. Accuracy was a must, and in hilly terrain the gimbals had to be abandoned. But on the other hand, the visibility was excellent and allowed you to fly by at a phenomenal speed. It was one of those driving experiences where you have to be very focused, with tense muscles and a thousand attention.

However, it doesn't take many words to represent two phenomenal machines such as Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale и Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 (full test here): You already know them very well, because if they're not at the top of your wishlist, we're close to them. For my part, I have to admit that such a machine literally drives me crazy. I don't care if I have to give up some of the amenities if I have a fantastic car to drive in return.

As in this case, the two contenders are inspired by their respective racing cars, stripped down to the smallest detail and much more expensive than the models they are based on. The Porsche is an even faster and more attractive version of our Car of the Year, as Roger Green discovered last month. John Barker gave it five stars when he rode it in Italy a few months ago (EVO 082) and as for me, I have to say that the idea front engine e rear drive focused, concise and with a voice similar to that of the GT3 RS. I like it: it sounds funny. This may be one of the best cars I've ever driven.

What there is no doubt about is that Maserati has nothing to envy Porsche in terms of looks. It's menacing and imposing in its black paint job, and if sporty styling isn't your thing, you'll love it more than a GT3 RS with ailerons and sleekness. Even for those who love the aerodynamic look and bonnet flaps, the creepy 4.0 decals aren't a big hit. The only decal that no one will complain about is the decal instead of the metal logo on the hood because it is lighter and very trendy.

We at EVO have often visited Wales and Yorkshire and know these roads well, so I decide to abandon the usual routes and go in search of something new. Hours before we start seriously fun on some of the UK's most beautiful roads, we drive the M6 ​​around Birmingham. Despite the appearance of the racetrack, Porsche and Maserati are also great in motorway... Given the absence soundproof panelsyou need to turn up the volume to hear what the radio is saying, but there is no shortage of comfort. With these two cars, the only real challenge is keeping them at bay: even on the motorway, they always try to get into the first available corner and grab the enemy. If you open the throttle, they immediately taste it and seem to beg you to keep pushing and savoring speeds of up to 300 km / h, overdrive and increasing G force. We pass the impressive headquarters BAE Systems a Samlesbury and we keep moving towards Clitheroe before heading north and crossing the forest Boulend... Soon after we arrive in town Settle. Maserati has three settings − Cars, Sports e Race – which make gear changes harder and always open the bypass exhaust valves earlier and more often. If you're running around town in Race mode with the sound of second place, everyone turns to watch the pounding Italian make her way through the traffic. And even if they can't see you, passers-by know you've reached—and exceeded—the speed limit thanks to an unmistakable bark. V8 4.7 da 450 CV.

Although the road from Settle is designated as a minor road, it is as wide and smooth as the highway and leads to a small village with a strange name. Horton-in-Ribblesdale... At this point, it seems more logical to put the Stradale in sport mode, because you are changing them from 60 milliseconds of the Race shocks the car every time I touch the blades, the behavior is suitable for driving with a knife between my teeth, but a little out of place on a quiet road such as the one I am currently driving.

The suspensions only have one setting, and despite good traction and confidence, the Maserati rolls hard as its nose slides in a curve, aiming for the top of the rope. Which is great for driving comfort, especially when paired with fantastic suspension which brilliantly absorb the worst holes. If you enter a fast corner from third gear, you can hear the car leaning slightly inward. At first you think you have reached the grip limit, but when the frame calms down, you realize that PZero Racing I haven't even gotten close to the clutch limit yet. After passing through the city center, the road narrows, and even if you feel like the MC Stradale is a big car, it seems to find more peace in faster directional changes and acceleration. But no matter how hard I try, I always see a cloud of white smoke in the rear-view mirrors. It only disappears when I stop near an impressive Ribblehead Viaduct... It's time to try RS 4.0.

It seems that two cars are competing to overtake the rival in the interior decorated with the best. Alcantara as in the case of a real sports car, but the shiny-spoke Porsche steering wheel has a definite impact on the Spartans and the functional restraint of the cockpit. The gearbox rattles like a forgotten toolbox on a running washing machine. To maneuver the clutch, you need to resort to violence, and to accelerate, just touch the accelerator pedal. Combining two different ways to measure strength under the left and right feet can make it difficult to start. Like a real racing car.

However, as soon as you get to work, the GT3 RS begins to transmit all of its beautiful messages through the seat and steering wheel. The steering is solid but perfect for the grip guaranteed by the German's tires. The force required for the arms is constantly increasing and decreasing depending on how close they are to each other. Pilots' Sports Cup they can be found on the asphalt. This allows you to better evaluate and control the response of this excellent naturally aspirated engine and the harshness of the braking. And because the chassis is responsive and straight, and there doesn't seem to be the slightest lag between the driver's actions and the resulting overload, it feels like an integral part of the car.

It's hard to tell the difference between the GT3 RS 3.8 and 4.0 at first. Definitely flat six 4.0 (which increases from 450 to 500 h.p.) it has more traction in the midrange and a bit more firmness in the high end, but you need more confidence in the chassis and a few more minutes to get used to the spring and damper response. We do a couple of laps on a fast left-hander - this is the perfect test to understand the handling of the Porsche. We immediately understand that the car does not behave like a “rear engine”, but rather reacts like a whole car. Compared to 3.8 even more spicy in curve entry and the precision with which he chooses and follows the trajectory is almost telepathic. You accelerate to third place, hit the brakes, slip through corners, choose how much to skid, and then gradually open the throttle using the legendary clutch and quickly accelerate to 8.500 rpm. At the same time, the Porsche moves gradually, never moving sideways, but advancing inch by inch, clinging to the asphalt with its large tires.

To get the most out of the Maserati on the same corner, it is necessary to load the chassis as much as possible. Braking, cornering, and then reopening the throttle is more aggressive to overcome the initial roll. In this case, it is very useful to brake with the left, so as not to break the rhythm. For such a big car, GranTurismo is fun, incredibly fast and exciting. However, to live up to its name, which suggests a true street racer, the MC Stradale needs to be stiffer, lighter and have more control. But to get out of the situation, it is enough to strengthen the shock absorbers a little in order to better control potholes and bumps in the road.

However, these are details. The Stradale is still a fantastic car, but despite its eerie soundtrack and often harsh gear shifting, it feels more like a slightly beefy GT - Aston V12 Vantage or Jaguar XKR-S style - than a race track. Thus, it should be easier to control and better at longer distances. But the truth is that it lags behind Porsche in terms of emotion and engagement. Ironically, Maserati track parts (also optional) such as a roll cage would have been more suitable for a 911 that has no roll cage and with three-point harnesses (although you can order it with all the options for a true tracker). But I also have to criticize the RS 4.0: on the road it's less efficient than its 3.8 sister, and more edgy and more Carrera Cup-like, as confirmed by Rob West, the former Carrera Cup driver who helped us. test - but now the tolerances are so tight (look how exactly the rear tires fill the wheel arches) that on some roads the car suffers from dips and squeezes that the 3.8 never had.

But on the right track - like the one we found for this test - the 4.0 is so amazing it's breathtaking. The front end reacts very precisely and instantly, and even when the road seems to be dangerously long, you are never afraid to scratch against the walls adjacent to it, on the contrary, you can continue to accelerate, shift into the next gear and have fun like crazy. Sometimes the 4.0 seems to defy the laws of physics because if you're sliding down a curve at top speed and then halfway through you realize you need more grip to narrow the line, with the 4.0 you only have to ask. Honestly, I never believed that it was possible to overcome such a narrow and winding road at such a speed. What a car.